Trade Tsunami: Los Angeles Kings and Rivals have agreed to trade star player in a six-figure 5-years deal as announced by Coach Jim….Read more

Quinton Byfield has extended his contract with the Los Angeles Kings for five more years, with an average yearly value of $6.25 million. The 2023–24 season was the breakout year for the restricted free agent, who was 21 years old, with 55 points and 20 goals. Byfield finally became a full-time National Hockey League player past season after being patiently worked by the Kings organization. He was chosen second overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. It appears that Byfield’s decision to make that shift paid off in his long-term development, even though he played for parts of three seasons before doing so.

While Byfield’s talent as a 6-foot-5 center was obvious, it is typical for a player with his toolkit to take an additional year or two to develop due to his stature, other attributes, and talent. The price was cheaper when Byfield was signed to a five-year deal instead of an eight-year one. Byfield, who snatched up a larger role as the season went on, is only beginning to show his true potential. As early as the 2024–25 season, his offensive skill set—including his lethal shot and inventive playmaking—is sure to take another leap.

Amazing value at $6.25 million for a young, gifted forward who, realistically, should be able to provide roughly one point per game for the whole five-year contract. This contract grants the buyer one year of UFA rights, and the five-year duration helped keep the cap hit lower than it could have been. Byfield will be a 26-year-old UFA when the contract expires, which might raise some concerns when evaluating the deal. However, it appears that Byfield has a positive impression of the Kings organization, so that shouldn’t be a concern at this time.

While Byfield has the makings of a great center, he will spend much of his contract playing on the wing with Anze Kopitar in the starting lineup. Byfield would be better suited for the wing instead of playing center depth due to the Kings’ excellent center depth and Phillip Danault’s move to shut down. At the end of his contract, which still has two seasons remaining, Kopitar will be 38 years old. At this juncture in his career, Byfield will have an ideal opportunity to solidify his position as a star and eventually assume the starting center position for the Kings. Although few predicted a pact of this duration, the five-year arrangement has many advantages.

His next contract may have cost the club more than $3 million if they had signed him to a bridge agreement to help him establish himself, but they could have saved money in the long run by signing him to a riskier, potentially lucrative, long-term contract. Everyone in the fan base, including the Kings and Byfield, should be pleased with this transaction. One cautionary note: it does elevate him to UFA status, which isn’t always cause for alarm five years in advance.